ISLAMABAD: A local court on Wednesday granted Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) two-day physical remand of journalist Waheed Murad in a case registered against him under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Murad, who was taken into custody last night from his residence in Sector G-8 produced by FIA before the judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah for obtaining his physical remand in a case registered against him under various sections including 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber terrorism), 20 (malicious code), and 26 of PECA.
During the hearing, the journalist told the court that they broke down the door and entered his house.
My mother-in-law is a cancer patient and has come from Canada for treatment, he said, adding that he was handed over to the FIA 20 minutes ago.
He said he was taken at 3am, blindfolded for hours, and only had his blindfold removed a few minutes ago.
When the judge asked the FIA personnel when the journalist was arrested, they replied last night.
Hadi Ali Chatta, the journalist’s lawyer said that his client was subjected to unlawful treatment.
Imaan Mazari informed the court that we have already filed a petition against his alleged illegal detention.
The FIA official told the court that the accused had shared a post related to a proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and related to Balochistan province. They requested the court to grant 10 days to conduct investigation of him regarding his social media accounts. Remand is also required for the recovery of the mobile of the accused, they said.
Mazari said that Murad is a journalist and his remand is necessary. Hadisaid that journalism has become a crime in this country. Journalists are being arrested to harass them, he said, adding that did FIA issued any notice to Murad.
The court, after hearing arguments, reserved its judgment. Later, while announcing its judgment approved his two days physical remand.
AFP adds: A journalist was charged with spreading disinformation online hours after his family reported he was seized in an overnight raid on his home.
Muhammad Waheed Murad, a multimedia journalist for Saudi-owned Urdu News, is the second reporter in recent days to come up against Pakistan’s strengthened laws targeting online content.
Murad is facing several charges including committing “cyber terrorism” and spreading “false and fake information”. The charge sheet seen by AFP accused Murad of glorifying a deadly attack on a train carried out by separatists in Balochistan.
“The pattern of his abduction was the same as in the past,” Imaan Mazari told AFP. “The abductors, their modus operandi, and the way they stormed the house in the dead of night make it clear who they are.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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